


Red Asters & Purple Gladioli

by LoneMusketeer



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Attempt at Humor, BAMF Lucy Heartfilia, F/M, Feelings Realization, Flower Soulmate Marks, Fluff, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Like very little, Multi, Mutual Pining, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Possessive Natsu Dragneel, Smart Lucy Heartfilia, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, We die like (wo)men, characters may be ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:46:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28507668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoneMusketeer/pseuds/LoneMusketeer
Summary: The land of Fiore, full of beauty, magic and... Soulmates!Light of the Fairies, Lucy Heartfilia has always wished to find her perfect soulmate more than anything else in the world but has sadly undergone years of fruitless searching.Can one mission with her dense, pink haired partner (It’s not pink; it’s salmon) change her firmly set mind and make her let go of the hope of a Prince Charming for her very own Dragon? Especially when said partner is a destructive Fire Dragon Slayer who could possibly put her into debt with his shenanigans.Will Lucy and Natsu be brave enough to shatter past promises and choose to love one another, even if they are not meant to be by Destiny?
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel & Happy & Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel & Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia, minor or background relationships
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> All characters belong to the lovely Hiro Mashima. They are definitely NOT mine.  
> Comments and Kudos are Very Much Appreciated!  
> Thank You, and enjoy the story!

9:00 a.m.

_‘_ Lucy Kick _,’_ a blonde bombshell shrieks, shattering the silence while clutching a blanket to her chest. Her face rivalling a tomato in her anger and embarrassment, as she watches her pink haired partner and his blue cat fly through the air before slamming into the wall opposite her bed, causing plaster to flake off the ceiling and softly twirl down like snow around the pair.

‘Lucy… you're too loud, so early in the morning, go back to sleep,' Natsu whines before making himself comfortable on the carpeted floor.

‘Lushee I'm still sleepy, we came back late from that fishing trip,' Happy remarks while yawning, sprawling over his Dragon Slayer’s back.

'That doesn’t explain why you have to sleep in _my bed_! Can't you just sleep at your house instead of crawling into mine every time?'

'But Lushee your bed is warmer than ours and your house is nearer too. Also, you had food and we were sooooo hungry!' The blue cat mumbles matter-of-factly and nods off to sleep, dreaming about fish, 'Fishy, fishy come to Happy, I'm only going to eat you,' he drools out.

Lucy sweats at her partners' antics and gives her patented **“I-give-up-take-me-now”** sigh. Stretching, she gets up to make breakfast, knowing that the smell of food would wake the two up faster than more yelling.

While cooking she wonders about her dream. She’s had the same dream almost every night for over a year now. Having finally found her soulmate, they had taken her out for the perfect date. She dreamed of them getting down on one knee with a square, blue box in their hands, the night sky lit up with gleaming constellations, as they lifted the box to reveal… a burping Happy patting his bloated stomach in the shape of a ring? That had woken her up immediately. The last thing she always remembers is seeing spiky pink hair and intense onyx eyes as sharp teeth grinned at her.

‘Wait a minute, _pink hair? Onyx eyes?_ Sounds like Natsu!’ she exclaims and lets out a groan, hitting her head against the kitchen wall, ‘Great, here I thought it was my soulmate, but turns out it was just Natsu all this time.’

_‘Funny, loyal, caring Natsu who actually looks pretty cute when he grins...’_ Her mind trails off treacherously.

‘No, no, no way, _bad Lucy, bad!_ He's your best friend, your partner, he probably already found his soulmate and doesn't have any of those feelings for you. Besides, you're waiting for your Prince Charming, remember? And it's _not_ him _!_ Right?’ Lucy repeats, slapping her slowly reddening cheeks.

‘Who's not what, Luce?’ Natsu asks, standing in the kitchen doorway looking at Lucy, a frown twisting his mouth and a questioning look in his eyes. His eyebrows scrunched together in extreme concentration.

‘Natsu! What? Nothing! When did you arrive?’ Lucy stutters nervously, and giggles hysterically. _‘More like how much did you hear?’_ She thinks, a panicked look in her eyes.

‘You're weird Luce, and I think you have a fever, your face is all red,' Natsu says, walking over and putting the back of his hand on Lucy's forehead, a worried expression furrowing his brow. Lucy’s eyes widen at his closeness as her mouth goes dry. Her brain fogging up, which is what compels her to ask the next question (She insists later that a lack of sleep caused her to become fatigued and _not at all_ Natsu’s proximity, leading to the following behaviour).

‘What are you doing, Natsu?’ Lucy whispers softly (and rather foolishly), as her eyes oscillate between drowning in Natsu’s orbs and hastily looking away at the hem of her shirt before being drawn back to his gaze again.

‘You like him,’ Happy breaks in, drawling out the _"I"_ , while snickering at the two of them. His feathery, snow- white wings keeping him afloat over their heads, paws covering the Cheshire grin on his blue face, as he struggles to contain his laughter. This prompts Lucy to regretfully look up, breaking her fidgety cycle, and glare daggers at the fish- loving feline with murder in her eyes.

_‘Of course, Happy just has to come in and ruin the moment,’_ Lucy thinks angrily, _‘Ahhh! This is not a moment, nope, nuh-uh, no!’_ Lucy grimaces, _‘Wait, what did that cat just say?’_

‘Happy, you stupid, furry feline, I do not like him!’ Lucy yells, her face steaming again, before grabbing him by the tail and throwing him up towards the ceiling. She then proceeds to calmly seat herself and tuck into the pancakes she had made.

Natsu stares warily at Lucy but sits down quickly not wanting to anger the blonde further and face her wrath next. At the sight of the Lucy’s delicious home-made cooking, he greedily begins to inhale the pancakes on his plate, not wanting to miss out on eating.

‘That was so good, thanks Luce!’ Natsu exclaims, patting his bloated stomach after he finished eating. ‘Well, I'm gonna go now, bye Lucy! See ya at the guild.’ Natsu says grinning, ‘C'mon Happy, let's go!’ Natsu yells as he jumps out the window.

Happy follows behind, enthusiastically saluting, ‘Aye, Sir!’ and flapping his wings in the air outside.

‘Why can't you just use the door?’ Lucy yells after them as they leave. Shaking her head exasperatedly, she gets up and picks the plates before dumping them in the sink and decides to have a long, soothing shower before going to the guild, bracing herself bemusedly for whatever chaos she will soon encounter.


	2. Chapter 2

Lucy gives a satisfied sigh as she steps out of the shower, and wraps a fluffy, white towel around her body. Walking towards her closet she imagines how today was going to play out. A feeling of restlessness settling in her bones.

‘It’s probably going to be like any other day with the guild being its normal boisterous self. Maybe I’ll go on a mission today. I do need the money for rent. I’ll also get to see everyone with their soulmates…’ She muses, delighted that her family is getting the happiness they deserve.

Still, Lucy couldn't help but feel a little envious as she stands in front of her ivory closet, _‘I haven't found my soulmate yet’_ she thinks dejectedly. _‘I'll be alone forever!’_ The dreary thought causing her to shudder and let loose a dramatic sob.

Picking out her outfit for the day, she slowly twists to see her back in the full-length mirror adorning her closet. Her breath stutters as she traces the few new petals with her eyes. They hadn’t been there yesterday! On one shoulder blade is a stunning red flower bud with thin petals in dense layers. All of it curled up into a tight ball and protected by spreading leaves.

‘Red Aster,’ Lucy mumbles gently as she eyes the closed bud, ‘The flower of loyalty, valour and undying devotion.’

Her eyes shine with wonder as she attempts to count the innumerable petals of her Soulmark. Her soulmate must be someone who’s constantly in contact with her if the number of her petals are anything to go by. So why has she not found them yet?

Exhaling heavily, she abandons that fruitless thought and instead pours her concentration into getting ready for the day. Mentally preparing herself for the impending havoc, even though she wouldn’t change it for the world. Grabbing her celestial keys, she pins them onto her belt in a smooth motion. Now she’s ready to greet the day!

Once outside in the bright sunlight, she takes a deep breath of fresh air and decides she'd like some company on the way, so why not summon her adorable dog spirit, Plue.

‘Gate of the Canis Minor, I open thee! Nikora.’ She exclaims pointing her summoning key at the sky. A bell tolls and Plue appears in front of her, emerging from a puff of coloured smoke, shaking as usual and greeting her with his cute, ‘pun punn.’

Lucy smiles and picks Plue up, holding him to her chest and starts walking towards her beloved guild **“Fairy Tail”** coming to a halt once she's in front of the guild's massive wooden doors.

Taking a deep breath, she strengthens her resolve and slams the doors to the guild open, only having to duck in order to avoid her face being smashed in by a flying _table_! Standing in the doorway she stares rather nonchalantly at the sight that beholds her eyes.

Almost all the men in the guild, including the terrifying and powerful Requip mage, Erza 'Titania' Scarlet, are brawling on the floor, punches and extremely bad insults are being thrown around. The girls and some slightly more mature guys are sitting at the bar, ignoring their fellow guild mates' actions.

‘Um, Good Morning?!’ Lucy says, making it sound like a question, completely confused as to what the fight was about this time, but pretty sure she knew who started it, though, with the pink, dragon slayer's voice being one of the loudest and smuggest. Totally accustomed to the violence, Lucy simply walks over to the bar and slumps on a stool, resting her head in her arms on the countertop.

‘Hi Lu! How are you?’ comes the enthusiastic voice of her book loving best friend Levy. Lucy just groans into her arms as response.

‘I know just what'll cheer you up – a strawberry milkshake!’ says the gorgeous bartender Mirajane, while placing a glass in front of Lucy. Beaming, Lucy perks up and takes a sip of the delicious milkshake before thanking Mira profusely.

‘So Love Rival, I mean Lucy, tell us what's bothering you? Juvia has never seen Lucy this unhappy before.’ Notes Juvia in a curious tone, referring to herself in the third person as usual.

‘Are you still worried about never finding your soulmate, Lucy?’ asks the adorable Wendy, looking worriedly at the woman she thinks of as her big sister.

Lucy let's out an unhappy sigh, ‘When am I not? I haven't found them yet. What if I never find them? Then I'll have to live alone with only my spirits for company and they'll also leave me because I don't have a soulmate and Aquarius won't stop teasing me about how I still don't have a boyfriend and... and,' Lucy cuts her rambling short when she's pulled into a hug by all the girls.

‘Don't worry Lulu, I know there is someone out there for you and they'll come and sweep you right off your feet. Just like our soulmates did!’ Exclaims the youngest Strauss sibling, Lisanna.

‘Thanks, you guys, I appreciate it,’ Lucy says, feeling lighter all at once over the support shown by her friends.

The fighting finally stops after multiple threats of bodily harm from the one and only Erza, convincing all the others to sheepishly walk away to various corners of the guild, and resume their previous conversations like nothing happened.

Lucy greets the rest of her friends laughingly as they make their way over to the bar. Gushing and wiggling her eyebrows as the guys immediately grab their soulmates to maintain some notion of contact. Her eyes soften as she sees the pure love etched into each of her friends’ faces at the sweet gesture.

'Hey Luce, did you see me? I totally beat all their asses! Let’s go on a mission together, I noticed you were low on food and you probably need to pay your rent,' Natsu says grinning widely at her with his pointy teeth.

‘Shut it Ash-for-Brains, clearly I was the one who won! Seriously though, you just ignore the rest of us!’ Gray says, irritated at his frenemy.

Lucy just blushed and nodded at Natsu, ignoring the knowing looks her friends were sharing, 'Sure, let's go!’

‘Yeah, I'm all fired up! C'mon Luce, this time you can pick the mission!’ Natsu says rushing to the mission board in excitement. Lucy jumps up from her seat and follows Natsu to the board, finding an interesting job, they rip it off and show it to Mira to get it stamped.

Mira giggles at their antics and stamps the paper to approve the job, wishing a quick, ‘Good luck’. Waving to their friends as they leave, Natsu, Lucy and Happy rush out of the guild to the Magnolia Train Station, totally pumped for their new mission.


	3. Chapter 3

‘The train to Crocus has arrived, all passengers please get on board, ‘a woman's smooth voice echoes through the terminal.

‘C'mon Natsu, this is our train, I got the tickets!’ Lucy says, jogging up to the Fire Dragon Slayer, who's starting to look a little sick.  
‘I am not getting on that _death trap_ , can't we just walk? Happy can even fly us to Crocus, ‘Natsu says looking at Lucy hopefully, while slowly backing away.

‘I paid good money for these tickets and you are not gonna waste that, also Crocus is _four hours_ away. I will not walk that much and Happy can't carry both of us, he'll probably start complaining about how heavy and fat I am, halfway!’ Lucy yells in Natsu's ears, while angrily dragging him up the stairs and into an empty carriage.

‘Okay, okay, geez Luce. Ya know you didn't have to scream in my ears. They're sensitive.’ Natsu whines, rubbing his ears.

Happy just snickers at the sight of the two and sits down in the seat opposite the two of them, falling asleep immediately while dreaming of Charle accepting his fish, ‘You know tom cat, you're not so bad,’ dream Charle says in her poised manner.

‘Awww Charle, anything for you!’ Happy mutters.

Lucy and Natsu glance at each other before looking at Happy and burst into raucous laughter.  
‘He'll never stop trying to get her,’ Lucy struggles to wheeze out.   
‘Go get her, Bud!’ Yells Natsu still chuckling at his partner's attempts to get the white exceed.

The train suddenly moves and Natsu slumps on his seat groaning and trying not to puke his guts out. His face becoming sweaty and green, cheeks puffing out to resemble an extremely sick chipmunk. Lucy just lets out a sympathetic sigh and pulls Natsu's head onto her lap, running her fingers through his hair, lost in her thoughts as Natsu drops off into uneasy slumber.

_‘Another mission, I really hope this goes well. I don't know why but there's this feeling of restlessness. Something's going to happen today. I just hope it's good.’_ Lucy thinks, feeling a bit anxious. A hard knot forming in her gut.

Glancing down, she smiles relieved at Natsu, _‘He looks so peaceful,’_ she absently observes and continues to card her hands through his salmon hair.  
 _‘So soft,’_ she marvels, always taken aback by how it’s not sharp like she originally thought it would be.

_‘I wonder who Natsu's soulmate is. He's never mentioned them before, and I've never seen him spend any time with them. He's always at the guild or my house. I wonder why? Maybe they don’t get along?’_ She contemplates tentatively.

_‘Maybe he hasn't found his soulmate yet, just like me… Nah, Natsu's too good for that. With those looks and that personality, people must be throwing themselves at him!’_

'So why do I feel so upset at the thought of Natsu having a soulmate. Could I… like him? No way! He’s just a friend, my best friend. Plus he’s as dense as a rock!’ She dismisses, shaking her head to dislodge the rather persistent thought.

_‘But his denseness is just one more thing that makes him the amazing person he is,’_ Lucy ponders absent-minded, before stiffening and letting out a groan. Glancing down at Natsu, she gives a small smile at his adorable sleeping expression and lightly cups his cheek.

_‘Great, I think I'm falling for him hard. No, I might have already. Now I just feel stupid that I didn’t realise it earlier,’_ She shakes her head exasperatedly. _‘I guess it makes sense though, with all the blushing and that dream about him. And how my heart beats a tiny bit faster every time he grins at me, or hugs me, and how he cares so much and is so loyal and always protects me without thinking I’m weak, and how I actually secretly like it when I wake up to his warmth every morning…’_ Her thoughts ramble on.

_‘But what about my Soulmate? The person I've been waiting for all my life. Could I give them up for my best friend?’_

The answer comes unhesitatingly, _‘Without a doubt I would choose Natsu. Always and Forever’_ She realises, the strength of her feelings scaring her a little. Although it doesn’t come as a surprise.

‘Perhaps I’ve always liked him. But I was so blind-sided by finding my soulmate, that I never thought much of my interactions with Natsu. Never even considered that my bashful reactions to his touch – and only his – could mean anything. I ignored my constantly pounding heart, the blood rushing to my cheeks in his presence, the uncalled _jealousy_ when he showered others with his attention to be an indication of deeper feelings. No. I refused to accept that I could have fallen for someone other than my soulmate. Someone as precious to me as Natsu.’

_‘But it’s always been you, Natsu Dragneel. I would gladly give up the search for my soulmate, if it means that I will get a chance to be with you.’_ Lucy finally feels free having admitted the truth to herself; she won’t let her search hold her back from loving Natsu, _‘Yet I have this tiny hope, that you just might be my Soulmate. Wouldn’t that be perfect.’_ Despite this huge revelation, she dozes off easily in the comforting presence of her Dragon. Sweetly dreaming of staying together for many more adventures to come.


	4. Chapter 4

Two hours into the journey, the train encounters some rough ground. The tracks are old and rusted, making it a very bumpy ride. A sudden jostle causes Natsu to fall off Lucy's lap and onto the floor. Despite the 3-foot fall, Natsu still continues to sleep soundly, snoring like a tortured walrus.

Barely a moment later, his face becomes pasty, and he starts sweating uncontrollably, his cheeks puffed out. His eyes snap open and he turns on his side, retching and cursing. Clawing his way back up the seat, he lays his head on Lucy's thighs and tries to sleep again.

Unable to do so, he looks up at Lucy's peacefully resting face, her lips slightly parted and soft snores being breathed out.  
 _‘So cute,’_ he thinks, sighing a little.   
'She's been acting weird all day, though, I wonder why?' he blurts out loud.

She seemed rather annoyed at having to kick Happy and I out of the bed again, and then when she went to make breakfast, she just sorta stood there staring off into space with her face really red.

_‘Why was she blushing? And who was she thinking about while blushing?’_ Natsu thought rather upset. Contrary to belief, he was much sharper than given credit for, and easily recognised that Lucy had been flushed. However, he didn’t want to put her on the spot by calling her out for it.

He was very protective of his blonde partner and it did not sit well with him to see _his_ Luce blushing so prettily while thinking about some other person. His inner dragon thrashed at the thought of _his_ precious one thinking of some unworthy weakling.

His mind immediately trailed to the guild and the fight he so totally won against the Ice Princess. The Dragon Slayer remembered feeling slightly anxious when that table nearly hit Lucy, but he knew she could take care of herself. She was extraordinarily strong, contrary to what their enemies often thought. Then he remembered the feeling of unadulterated pride when he sensed Lucy’s eyes on his back. It just spurred him to fight harder, so that he could impress the beauteous blonde.

His heart had squeezed painfully, and he suddenly felt extremely mad when he saw Luce laughing so happily around others. He knew he was being irrational. They already had found their soulmates, and had no interest in Lucy, but he still rushed over to the Celestial Mage and quickly diverted her attention by gloating about his _obvious_ victory, completely ignoring the others.

The sight of that beautiful pink blush on Lucy’s round cheeks had him feeling warmer than usual and crazily ecstatic, he was so pumped he felt he could take on Achnologia by himself. Lucy had a way of doing that to him recently, especially after he saw her future self die during the Grand Magic Games. He vowed to protect her; to make sure she wasn’t hurt. He never wanted to experience the agony of losing Lucy ever again. He didn’t think he’d be able to make it out sane if he lost his best friend.

His thoughts started to spiral downwards again and even the nausea he felt because of his motion sickness was pushed to the recesses of his mind. His heart rate sped up and his breaths came out unevenly, his body wracked with sharp shudders at the dark, depressing thoughts plaguing his conscience. _‘You failed her… She’s dead because of you… She’s gone and she’s never coming back… It’s all your fault! You drove Igneel away and now you killed Lucy too. You’re a monster!’_ his voice yelled at him mercilessly, while he struggled to protest that it wasn’t his fault.

Unable to convince himself, he swiftly turned to the side and buried his pink head into Lucy’s stomach. His heart gradually calming, and the shudders disappearing as he felt her stomach gently move up and down. Felt the blood pumping in her veins, her heart beating loudly in his over sensitised ears. His Luce was brimming with vitality and life. She was alive. She was alive. She was so, very alive.

Wanting a reprieve from his bloody thoughts he let his mind drift off to the mission, it was quite simple really, **“Get rid of a gang of notorious bandits that are terrorising the people of a small village in Crocus and burning their crops,”** and the pay was rather good too giving 500,000 Jewels for an amazing fight. He was already salivating at the thought of all the yummy foods he would eat soon using that money.

Lucy stirring in her seat to get into a more comfortable position pulled him from his thoughts about a food filled heaven and brought his eyes lazily to the blonde beauty’s face. His breath caught immediately at the sight before him. There sat Lucy her face lax, pink bow lips shaped into a fetching smile and her golden hair resting lightly against the window by her side; bright sun rays illuminating her visage and creating a halo around her, truly making her resemble an angel.

His heart constricts in his chest and skips a beat as he smiles unconsciously at Lucy’s sleeping form, wishing beyond hope that this perfect being could possibly be his soulmate. He already knew he was deeply in love with his Luce and never had quite believed in the foolish notion of someone being his _‘perfect match’_ , so he didn’t bother actively searching for his mystery soulmate. Maybe that’s why he had always felt so strongly for Lucy and had no problem with accepting that he loved her, even if she wasn’t his destiny-made soulmate.

Yet here he was, desperately yearning for Lucy to be his soulmate, not because he needed the assurance that he loved her – for he was certain he did, thankyouverymuch – but really because he never wanted to leave her, and because he wanted Lucy to love him too. _‘How hypocritical,’_ He thought glumly shaking his head.

It was no secret that the mage was waiting to find her soulmate and would unconditionally love whoever it was, so Natsu couldn’t help but wish that her soulmate could possibly be him, if it meant that she might eventually grow to love him. After all, weren’t soulmates made for each other; understood each other completely, so even if they didn’t know each other in the beginning they couldn’t help but feel a connection. Natsu felt that he and Luce already had that connection, even if they didn’t share a soulmark. _‘Doesn’t that mean we’re meant to be?’_ He thought dismally.

However, Natsu wasn’t one to let these gloomy thoughts bring him down, and as he felt his eyelids droop in drowsiness, he had one final conviction, _‘Whether I’m Lucy’s soulmate or not, will not influence me. I know I’ll love her either way, and so I’m gonna try my hardest to make her fall in love with me too,’_ He mentally roared as the smooth rocking motion of the train surprisingly drove him into deep, restful darkness; bringing him dreams of going on more adventures with his Luce, ‘ _Yeah! I’m all fired up!’_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short bridging chapter, with a bit of Natsu appreciation from Lucy (we all need to appreciate something that fine).  
> Although, it is the prelude to some Battle Action (I tried).

A hard stop makes Lucy jerk forwards in her seat, rudely rousing her from her pleasant slumber. Pained groans barely snap her out of her drowsy state, and she looks down to see Natsu flat on his back on the sticky train floor gingerly cradling his pounding head. _‘He must have rolled off my lap and hit his head when the train stopped,’_ she thought rather distractedly staring cross-eyed at Natsu’s face pinched in pain.

‘Last Call! All passengers for Crocus please depart the train now. Thank you for riding on the Crocus Express!’ The smooth robotic voice echoes again throughout the station, making Lucy jolt into awareness and scramble from her seat in a panic, grabbing Natsu by the scarf and Happy by his furry tail, she rushes out of the train just as it starts to move away.

Panting Lucy places her hands on her knees and takes in deep gulps of air whilst Natsu kisses the ground in sheer exultation and Happy hovers in the air above them rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he chews on a fish, miraculously pulled out from his backpack.

Standing upright, Lucy smiles indulgently at Natsu’s prone form. Her thoughts on the train catching up with her as she admires the way sunlight glints off Natsu’s bronzed skin, even if it looks a little pale from his recent near-death encounter.

_‘Now is not the time for romanticism, Lucy! We have a village to save, criminals to catch, and a mission to complete!’_

Effortlessly, she pulls Natsu to his feet by the scarf around his neck, and starts dragging him into town, using it as a puppy leash. The analogy has her thinking though, _‘Natsu is kinda like a puppy; he only eats, sleeps and has way too much energy for causing damage.’_ Despite the harsh thought, she thinks of it in such a fond tone.

_‘Well, even though I like him, it doesn’t mean that I’ll suddenly go easy on him. Where would the fun be in that?’_ She deliberates, lost in thought as she continues to yank a protesting Natsu in search of a cheap motel for the night.

***

Blowing the bangs from her eyes, Lucy surveys the singular room they were able to tussle out of that suspicious old hag at the reception. Natsu and Happy already prancing around like Grade A Idiots in their meager accommodations, roaring for battle.

‘Come on Natsu, let’s ask around the village for the whereabouts of these louts terrorizing the poor people,’ Lucy intones, knowing full well that the only way to get Natsu to calm down when he’s so fired up is to give him a good fight.

As Lucy steps foot onto the streets, she realises exactly what was missing since the moment she entered the village.

‘There aren’t any people around...’ She mumbles observantly, as she considers the empty streets. The whole village seems to be devoid of life. So silent it is. There are no sounds of children playing or disjointed conversations in the air. Even the gust of icy wind that blows past Lucy is chillingly silent.

‘Oi! Where are you hiding, you cowardly criminals? Come out already and fight me!’ Natsu howls, punching a fist into his other palm.

Lucy noncommittally continues to examine the boarded-up windows and deadlocked doors; someone had to be there if a mission request was issued. Or was it too late?

Just as the thought passed, an emaciated man with a short stature ambled out, leaning heavily on wooden cane. His limbs creaking with age, yet his periwinkle blue eyes twinkle with the mirth of youth.

‘You must be the mages who came to help us from Fairy Tail. My name is Kokatsu, and I am the mayor of this village.’ He pronounced slowly, continuing to talk over Natsu’s hollered out questions and Lucy’s polite introduction, ‘Follow me, I will show you where the bandits are hiding.’

Turning around he limps down the street, Lucy and Natsu exchange glances, a bit flabbergasted at the man’s cold demeanor and one-sided conversation but hastily follow him. The man has a surprisingly swift gait for his appearance.

Kokatsu leads them to a plot of land that has been razed to the ground. The earth blackened and cracked. ‘This used to be our largest wheat field,’ Kokatsu utters with a trembling voice, ‘before those demons set it alight and claimed the land as their own.’

Lucy gasps at the destruction, her eyes flashing in outrage as she follows the man through the field. Natsu just grits his teeth, quite in anticipation as he vows to make those bandits pay while following close behind Lucy, his senses on high alert. They’re on enemy soil now.

Although, the mages soon come to an abrupt halt in the center of the field. Questioningly, Lucy breaks the silence, ‘Um, Mr. Kokatsu, is this the right place? I don’t think the bandits are here.’

While Natsu demands impatiently, ‘Where are the bandits, old man? I don’t see them nowhere!’

Almost like those words damn them, an emerald green magic seal reveals itself under their feet, and ropes of thorny vines shoot upwards forming an impenetrable prison around Lucy and Natsu. Thicker vines shooting out from the prison _‘walls’_ to wrap around their bodies, forcing their arms close to their torsos. Scratches adorn their exposed skin as the two struggle to free themselves from the thorny creepers.

‘Why, we’re right here, Fairy Tail Mages.’ Kokatsu triumphantly drawls, his voice sounding years younger. Sinister grin melting right off his face, along with pliable flesh dripping down his wrinkled body like candle wax to reveal smooth pale skin, a chubby face with a ridiculously curled mustache and an absolutely bouffant perm on his head. Periwinkle blue eyes glare maliciously from under a bushy black uni brow, as two men and a woman step out solemnly from behind the diminutive man.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extensive chapter full of BAMF mages, smart thinking, fighting action and unnecessary pain because the author doesn't know how to write a proper battle scene.

‘You should be grateful, Fairy Tail mages, for you are in the presence of the _“Demon Whisperers”_ , the most wanted bandits in all of Magnolia!’ Kokatsu, who is assumed to be the leader of the ragtag group behind him, exclaims proudly with his arms thrown wide into the air. The other bandits hold their heads high, sneering in disdain at the captured mages.

‘The who?’ Natsu asks indifferently, an eyebrow raised, ‘Never heard of ya, you must not be as important as you thought, huh?’

Despite the situation, Lucy can’t help but snicker at Natsu’s blatant disrespect for their opponents. Dissolving into quite snorts as the bandits’ faces phase through shock, horror, and disbelief before finally settling on anger.

The only woman tightens her fist in rage causing her knuckles to go white, the emerald magic seal floating in front of her hand pulses once before the vines surrounding Natsu and Lucy constrict more. Sharp thorns pierce tender flesh and cause tiny rivulets of blood to flow, as Natsu and Lucy grit their teeth in pain, struggling fiercely to free their hands at the very least.

Then, like an avenging angel, Happy swoops down from a nearby tree and smacks the woman in her face with a smelly mackerel. Flying in circles around her head, as she attempts to swat him away while a purple haired man spits fireballs at him. Sufficiently distracted, the woman loses focus on maintaining her prison, causing the vines holding Natsu and Lucy to loosen.

Immediately the two fly into action, adrenaline pumping through their bodies as excitement fills them. Natsu executes a Fire Dragon’s Iron Fist, scorching a large portion of the vines enclosing him. Lucy leaps into action right beside him by transforming into her Star Dress: Cancer Form and using her twin blades to slice the vines into pieces, freeing herself too.

Natsu then rushes at Kokatsu, gearing up to perform a Fire Dragon’s Claw, however, the short leader disappears before Natsu even reaches 4 feet near him. His scent completely vanishing that even Natsu’s sensitive sense of smell is unable to detect him. It’s like he was never there. Natsu notes that along with Kokatsu, a heavy-set bald man (the fourth bandit) had also erased his presence.

_‘He must have some sort of masking magic. That would explain how the bandits seemingly appeared out of nowhere,’_ Natsu surmises, easily changing tactics to attack the remaining male.

Meanwhile, Lucy had moved to immediately confront the woman harassing Happy. Deeming her as being the most prudent threat for the moment. The exceed was flying haphazardly to avoid the vines shooting from the ground, as the woman curses and screams at him.

The bandit’s long green hair tied into a high ponytail whips around blazing red eyes, as Lucy jumps at her, twin swords cutting neatly through the vines reaching for Happy, as she swiftly tries to incapacitate the female.

In a show of agility, the woman swiftly backflips out of the sword’s reach, magic primed as she lands on her feet. Both women smirk challengingly at each other, as Lucy drops her Star Dress. An explosion reverberates, and their battle begins.

***

Natsu grins smugly as the dust clears after his successful attack, not a single scratch on him. His smirk broadening when he sees his enemy with only a slightly singed blue mohawk and no other damage.

_‘He’s strong,’_ Natsu thinks excitedly and he readies his next attack, scrutinising his opponent as both the mages roar in fury, recklessly running towards each other.

‘Fire Dragon’s Wing Attack!’ Natsu yells airborne as he narrowly vaults over a black ball of flames that immediately disintegrates the ground it touches.

His adversary dodges the attack and retaliates with a yellow fireball, its flames stretching out and gluing themselves to Natsu’s dark vest. The sticky flames instantly eating up the material before dissipating into smoke as Natsu incants, ‘Fire Dragon’s Roasting Bath!’

Using that as a distraction he rushes towards the blue-haired bandit who anxiously starts catapulting small white fireballs that explode like a grenade.

‘The hell?’ The bandit’s gravelly voice questions while he stares wide-eyed at Natsu who simply swallows the next ball he lobs. Understanding the danger he’s in, the bandit tries to flee only to be unsuccessful.

‘Fire Dragon’s Roar!’ Natsu screams, enunciating each word, as orange flames threaded with white engulf the criminal, exploding on contact. The fight ends with Natsu as the victor who pumps his fist into the air and glances at the senseless steaming body of his foe.

He was expecting more of a challenge, but it seems that his contender was unable to withstand the searing awesomeness of his Roar. _‘Maybe he isn’t fire-resistant like I thought?’_

***

Lucy easily holds her own against her adversary. She expertly cracks her Fleuve d'étoiles to snap the vines the woman sends her way, succeeding in landing a few hits on her opponent’s skin too.

The female bandit, in a move to defend herself, constructs the vine prison around her body, making it so dense that it forms an impenetrable shield against Lucy’s whip. Not deterred, Lucy simply calls upon her spirit Scorpio, communicating her hashed-together attack plan telepathically with the friendly scorpion.

She lies in wait, for her foe to become impatient and paranoid, to make the first move that will guarantee Lucy’s victory. An intellectual mage, Lucy was rapidly able to discern that her rival was someone easily frustrated and prone to letting her guard down. She knew that the bandit would make a move, now all she had to do was wait.

And not for long. Barely a few minutes later the woman sends thin tendrils of vines from those surrounding her. They coil through the air with the aim of causing damage, and Lucy let’s them. A pivotal part of her masterplan. Her skin tears and bruises, blood welling up as the vines shoot past her, but she doesn’t make a peep through the pain. Nor does she retaliate.

Just as expected, the woman – thinking her opponent is down – slowly loosens her defence a little, vines retreating away to reveal her. That’s when Lucy attacks.

‘Now!’ She commands Scorpio, already holding Virgo’s key in her hand, ‘Star Dress: Virgo Form!’ She exclaims and tunnels into the ground.

‘Sand Buster,’ Scorpio intones, as a torrent of sand whirls towards the vine refuge, blowing the creepers away. The green-haired woman wrapping vines around her arms to prevent her from getting absorbed into the whirlwind too.

‘Spica Hole’ a disembodied voice calls, and a large, deep hole opens below the woman, causing her and her vines to fall in while Lucy gracefully leaps out. Removing her Star Dress, she allows Scorpio to return to the Celestial Spirit World and summons Aries instead.

‘Hi Aries, could you fill the hole with wool, please?’ Lucy politely asks the shy spirit while the trapped bandit attempts to escape using her vines. However, she quickly succumbs to the relaxing feel of the wool filling around her and dozes off in comfort.

Two down, two more to go!

Triumphantly, Lucy turns towards Natsu who has finished dealing with his opponent, only to be sent sprawling from a kick to her gut. She grabs her stomach in pain, as she watches Natsu’s head snap back from a punch to his cheek followed by an uppercut. Although stunned and in pain, tiny rocks digging into the cuts on her body, her mind races to understand what is happening.

_‘The third bandit, that large man, he hasn’t disappeared… he’s just masked himself! That’s why Natsu couldn’t hear or smell him coming even with his advanced senses. That’s why he can cause still cause harm.’_ Lucy manages to piece together this information, while Natsu whirls around, throwing punches in the hope of hitting the bastard, _‘Natsu must have figured it out too.’_

Still down, she tries to formulate a plan. Rushing in blindly will be of no use since they can’t see their adversary. So, the first step is to make him visible. It _is_ highly doubtful, that he would drop his spell upon polite request. Maybe they could trap him in Aries’ wool? But that would mean covering the whole field, including themselves, putting both Fairy Tail mages out of commission.

Refusing to take this lying down, Lucy stumbles to her feet. Unclipping her Fleuve d'étoiles, she sends it cracking through the air, yet her whip meets no resistance. Despite the bandit’s large size, he must be nimble on his feet.

Pissed at the cowardly moves, Natsu decides to try out an attack. Flames cover his clenched fist, as he waits for the bandit to strike. And he does, although not in the way Natsu was expecting.

Inexplicably, Lucy finds herself being picked up, taking the opportunity she strikes her whip down with force, hearing a thwack as it slaps against skin. Then she’s airborne. Thrown by the invisible bandit, she crashes into Natsu who loses focus and they both tumble to the ground, his Fire Dragon’s Iron Fist dissolving due to the distraction.

‘Distraction,’ Lucy mumbles dazedly as she watched Natsu’s flames go out, ‘Distraction!’ She whispers more loudly, ‘Natsu! We need to distract him and then get a good hit in, once he’s visible.’

‘You’re so smart Luce! It sounds good.’ Natsu compliments Lucy, nodding in agreement, ‘Where’s Happy? He’d be of help.’ The plan definitely had merits. It would allow them to capture the bandit if it worked perfectly. If it didn’t, well… it was the only plan they had anyways.

Meanwhile, Happy was hiding in a faraway tree, having fled once Lucy had distracted the female bandit.

A roughly cobbled plan in place, Natsu tried to distract the bandit by sending out a foray of his long-range spells. Hoping to make the man trip. Though the bandit remains stubbornly invisible.

‘Your plan has no chance of working. I have trained myself to overcome such menial distractions as your puny spells,’ the bandit’s smug voice resonates through the field, already guaranteed of his victory having heard Lucy’s initial realization.

‘Oh, I’m not the distraction… she is!’

‘Aqua Metria!’

The ground in the whole field begins to flow like waves in a storm as Natsu and Lucy float above it all. Happy’s wings flapping furiously to keep them all aloft, having returned to the battlefield once he’d heard Natsu call his name.

The bandit’s heavy set form flickers into sight right underneath the hovering trio, struggling to stay afloat on the churning land. Smiling at each other, Natsu and Lucy link hands and chant in harmony, ‘Unison Raid!’

The land stops flowing as a powerful burst of flames entwined with a stream of scalding water hits the criminal with a lot of force, creating a crater around the unconscious man once the magic disappears.

Lucy dispels her Star Dress: Aquarius Form as she and Natsu share a high-five over a job well done. Proceeding then to tie up the three passed out bandits with rope graciously provided by Virgo.

However, they made a mistake. They celebrated too early and forgot about the presence of the short yet nefarious leader, Kokatsu. Who glares at them from behind Happy’s tree with wrath. His bouncy Afro (and him) twitching with the need for _perm_ -tastic revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although I am quite proud of how the fights turned out (The pun - not so much).  
> Reviews are most appreciated!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coming Up Next... Are Natsu and Lucy ever going to get together? Or will they lose the fight with their heart?  
> Find out below!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, we get to the good stuff!!  
> I don't know about you, but I'm ready to make some NaLu magic!  
> There's like a smidgen of angst in this. You Have Been Warned.

A blur of colour slams into Lucy and makes her tumble onto her back. Hard. Shocked, she lies immobilized as her body is unexpectedly dragged by fingers knotted into her blonde strands. Loose stones in her path, tearing up her already ruined shirt.

Coming to her wits, she grasps the wrist in a punishing hold and twists until she hears a crack. Instantly, her hair is released as the other tenderly cradles their hand. Jumping to her feet, Lucy angrily turns to face… herself?

_‘Shite! We forgot the leader.’_ She concludes, inspecting the woman in front her with amusement. At that moment, Natsu arrives with fists blazing, ready to unleash hell. Only to stop and stare at _two_ Lucys? Blinking his eyes in confusion, he struggles to understand what he’s seeing, _‘Maybe I hit my head during a fight?’_

‘There! That’s the leader! He changed his appearance to look like mine, so that he could fool you. But you believe me, right Natsu?’ Fake Lucy rambled, pointing at Lucy, and batting his eyelashes to garner sympathy. Playing the part of a damsel in distress.

Ready to throw down, Lucy readies herself for the Lucy Kick to end all previous kicks. Pissed that someone would portray herself as needing to be saved. Before she can make her move though, Natsu retaliates with a Fire Dragon’s Brilliant Flame thrown right at the unsuspecting bandit leader.

‘I think you might have gone overboard, Natsu…’ Lucy hesitates in admiration, once the dust clears to reveal a medium-to-well-done Kokatsu, his luscious perm now nothing but ashes. He coughs, startling the two mages who were quite sure the leader had sustained irreparable damage.

‘How… did you… know?’ He coughs out pathetically, receiving a deadpan from both the mages.

‘Lucy would never ask to be saved; she’d fight herself!’ Natsu remarks, proud of his partner’s strength, ‘Also, Lucy is a helluva lot taller than 4’6.’

With that parting retort, Natsu lugs the charred man over his shoulder and carried him back to where the rest of his gang are tied. Lucy following close behind, touched by Natsu’s confidence in her strength and abilities.

***

A while later, Natsu and Lucy trudge a bit further away, having left Happy to guard the tied-up criminals with a stick.

Standing behind a spindly tree for some semblance of privacy in the barren land, Natsu and Lucy check over the other in concern. Other than some nasty cuts from the vines and a few bruises turning a mottled yellow, they seem to be relatively alright. At least there are no broken bones! Simple mercies.

As Lucy turns around to allow Natsu to inspect the damage to her back, it slips her mind that her Soulmark is now very visible through the tears in her shirt. Eyes widening as she finally realizes this, she tries to move away from Natsu, hoping that he hasn’t noticed it.

However, she’s stopped in her squirming by a calloused hand that holds onto her waist, another palm smoothing down her bare back. Wriggling stronger, she hastily attempts to move out of Natsu’s firm grip, not wanting him to accidentally touch her Soulmark.

Not wanting her minuscule hope for Natsu being her soulmate to be crushed, so soon. And absolutely not wanting to end up bitter and alone like her father, after the woman he loved left once she had found her true soulmate.

Watching her father wither away and drown his sorrow in work and booze had scarred a 5-year-old Lucy and compelled her to vow to herself that **_“No matter what happens, I will never fall in love with anyone but my soulmate. I will find them, whoever they are, and then we’ll live together forever. I will not be broken beyond measure.”_**

She had lived by this promise until she met Natsu. The only one who had made her feel so cherished that she was willing to risk her heart for someone who might not be her soulmate. The only one who made it seem worth it to live the rest of her life in agony, for even just a few years of loving with him.

Despite that, sometimes she fervently wished that Natsu was her soulmate, for it would mean that he would never leave her broken. After all deep inside, Lucy was still just a young girl afraid of having her heart shattered and she protected herself by the inevitable fact that whoever her soulmate was, they would love her. Without a doubt.

_‘Just like Natsu loves me in his own way.’_ The thought has her freezing in place. She really should stop projecting onto Natsu. Just as she’s mentally smacking herself, Natsu says something that causes the butterflies in her stomach to flap around in a frenzy.

_‘Am I that desperate to hear those words that I’m actually imagining him saying it to me?’_ She asks in disbelief. Proven wrong, when Natsu repeats his earlier request, voice even lower causing those butterflies in her stomach to redouble their efforts.

‘Can I touch your mark?’ Natsu repeats, five simple words that have so much power behind them. Power that decides the fate of their relationship. Heck, the fate of the rest of their lives!

And no. She’s not ready for this. She needs more time. Maybe have a few conversations together back at her apartment. Get all their cards on the table before she’s ready to take this step. Be a bit slower. Yet as she panics, she realizes that loving Natsu is never going to be predictable or safe. It’s wild, it’s reckless, it’s all about feeling and not overthinking.

‘Do you trust me, Luce?’ Natsu cuts in softly, almost as if he can understand how frazzled Lucy’s thoughts are.

So, throwing caution to the wind, Lucy decides to trust Natsu. And she makes the decision that changes her whole life.

She nods her head. Once.

Natsu’s sharp intake of breath and the way his hands map out Lucy’s back so carefully, so slowly like he can’t believe he’s being allowed to do this, proves to Lucy that she made the right decision. Regardless of whether Natsu is her soulmate or not, she’s not giving up on him. Not a chance in hell.

Their breaths staccato as Natsu’s fingers inch closer to her shoulder blade, to the red bud curled into itself like it’s trying to protect something. His calloused hands touching Lucy like it’s the last time he will. Trying to memorize how her satiny skin feels under his palms.

And they both exhale an expectant breath when Natsu places his palm over her mark, waiting hopefully for a blinding light that will prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the two of them are Meant to Be.

Yet, against all hope nothing happens. Seems like their love had never been a part of Fate’s plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I cruel enough to leave you with a cliff-hanger?  
> Maybe.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is the promised happy ending (or is it)?  
> Can Natsu and Lucy defy the odds and still be with each other, despite them not being soulmates? Or will their feelings dwindle out?  
> And is that really the end to the plans Fate has for our favorite couple?

Disappointed, Natsu removes his hand as Lucy let’s out a shuddering sob, she opens her mouth to say something. Anything. But heat blossoming over her back makes her stiffen then relax almost instantly. It’s warm. Filling her with comfort and security.

She feels more than hears Natsu’s gasp as he gazes awe-struck at the red petals that seem to be burning from the inside. A smolder that spreads to all the petals, glowing brighter into a blazing campfire. So entranced is he, that it isn’t until Lucy let’s out a gentle laugh that he realizes his Soulmark is glowing too.

An almost overwhelming feeling of unadulterated love and jubilation fills his heart as he meets eyes with Lucy over her shoulder. She turns around swiftly, her chocolate eyes soft and gentle, and full of so much love that Natsu simply melts.

Lucy isn’t faring much better either as Natsu worships her with his eyes, brimming with hope and so much love that she leaps at Natsu, arms going around his waist as he wraps her up in a hug.

There they stand, embracing each other tightly as their Soulmarks burn with the glow of a thousand stars. They don’t know how long they’ve been hugging but when they pull apart, the glow from their marks has simmered down.

Sitting on the ground, Natsu stretches his limbs as he promptly tears his right pant leg. Each steady movement of the cloth away from his leg reveals verdant leaves and stems wrapped around his muscled calf, winding up to just below his knee. Right in the center of the intricate forest is a beautifully bloomed Purple Gladiolus.

Lucy gently traces her finger over his Soulmark, watching mesmerized as the flower petals lean towards her touch, faintly glowing with an internal flame.

‘Purple Gladiolus,’ Natsu begins as he watches Lucy raise her head in wonderment, ‘It symbolizes grace, charm, strength and faithfulness along with love. Perfect for you.’ He explains softly.

Fervently, Lucy turns back around and shows Natsu her back, needing him to know. Green stems twine around her shoulder blade, long leaves extending over her shoulder, and in the middle is the blossomed Red Aster with its many petals spread out proudly.

‘Red Aster,’ Natsu breathes out, tenderly caressing the many petals, ‘It means loyalty and valor–’

‘And undying devotion, or… love,’ Lucy cuts in amazed and a little bit more smitten with Natsu, seeing that he’s proficient in flower meanings, ‘Very fitting isn’t it?’ She asks rhetorically, realizing at that very moment that her flower really couldn’t have indicated anyone else.

Looking over her shoulder, she smiles gently at Natsu whose cheeks flush imperceptibly at that breath-taking smile just for him. Impassioned, Natsu surges forward and presses his lips against Lucy’s soft ones. Pleasantly surprised, Lucy hesitatingly applies a little pressure, and Natsu tilts his head to improve the angle.

Every time she had read a romance novel, the act of kissing was described as fireworks exploding or butterflies flapping. They couldn’t compare. It was indescribable really, this feeling.

She could only focus on the slow slide of lips against lips. the slight pressure. The intimacy in this simple act. And as the two slowly broke apart, breathing slightly heavily and grinning abashedly at each other, Lucy couldn’t help but think that this innocent, close-lipped kiss was entirely perfect for her first.

‘I love you, Natsu Dragneel. Not just because you’re my soulmate, but because I always have. Even if it took me too long to realize it.’ Lucy whispers with conviction, cupping his cheeks. Hoping Natsu understands that she doesn’t love him because he’s her soulmate, but because he’s Natsu.

‘I know,’ is what Natsu responds, grinning sheepishly, ‘I heard you debating with yourself. In my defense, I was on a _moving_ train. It’s a little hard to sleep when I want to puke my guts out.’ He hastily explains as he sees Lucy’s face become redder by the minute, ‘Besides, I got to lie in your lap, excuse a love-sick guy for enjoying the rare moment.’

‘Shut it,’ Lucy stutters with no venom, embarrassed that Natsu knew how she felt all along. Even if it wasn’t for long. Although she forgives him easily because with that slip of the tongue, she understands that Natsu’s loved her for a very long time, ‘Love-sick, huh?’

‘I love you too, Luce. So much. I promise once we get back, I’m going to show you exactly how much!’ He declares enthusiastically, blushing a bit and ignoring Lucy’s amused look at his ignorance of her previous comment.

‘I never particularly cared for anything other than finding Igneel, y’know?’ He sobers, staring pensively into the distance, ‘Until I met you, that is. You gave me another reason to live, Lucy. I knew from when I saw you that whether you were my soulmate or not, I would cherish you unconditionally for however long you would let me.’ As he finishes, he looks right into Lucy’s eyes and smiles, grabbing onto her hands tightly.

What else could Lucy do but smile back at him, speechless with the depth of Natsu’s feelings. She swears to show him exactly how grateful she is to have him in her life. And with Natsu holding steadfastly onto Lucy’s hand, they leisurely make their way back to Happy.

‘So, you get jealous when I don’t pay attention to you, Luce?’ Natsu cheekily remarks, referring to her musing on the train. The comment causing Lucy to blush bright and splutter a response. Bickering good-naturedly, the two Soulmates firmly entwine their clasped fingers, facing a brighter future in each other’s arms.

Their Soulmarks glinting with an eternal flame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa! Can't believe this is the end with a slightly smaller than expected chapter...  
> Anyways, I'm an absolute sucker for happy endings, so please have enjoyed the (mis)adventure of these two dorks and them finally getting together.  
> I hope you liked reading this story, as much as I loved writing it!  
> This brings an end to Red Asters & Purple Gladioli, though may Natsu and Lucy continue to be in love. Thank you all so much for reading till the end!


End file.
